How to Find an Editor
Whether you have a great idea for a book or you’ve already drafted a manuscript, if you want to share you’re writing with the world, finding an editor is one of the most important parts of the process. An editor is a professional in the literary world. Their job is to plan, revise, and organize written materials for publication, from hard-copy books to eBooks and from magazines to newspapers.
Why is hiring an editor important? Because you want to make sure that your text is in tip-top, print-ready shape. No matter how many times you read and re-read what you’ve written, you’re bound to overlook errors or simply not notice if things are worded in a weird way. An editor provides a fresh pair of objective eyes. They’ll read through your documents, checking for and correcting grammatically errors, spelling mistakes, and will even make suggestions that could improve the overall structure of your text, possibly enhancing the meaning and just making sure it’s cleaned-up and ready to go. Plus, an editor will help to save you a great deal of time and a whole lot of frustration.
With all of the benefits that an editor can provide, needless to say, if you’re serious about making a name for yourself as a writer and you want to achieve the success that you desire and deserve, you’re definitely going to want to find a professional that you can rely on; someone who will offer high-quality results and ensure that your writing is crisp, clear, neat, tidy, organized, and really stands apart from the crowd. If you’ve never hired an editor before, however, you’re probably wondering how to go about finding one.
Below are some handy tips that will point you in the right direction of finding a reliable book editor.
Determine What You Need
Before you start the search for an editor, the first thing you’re going to want to do is determine what your manuscript needs. Editors offer a variety of services, so pinpointing what your writing needs will make it easier to find a professional that specializes in that particular area of editing that you require. The following are just some of the services that editors offer:
- Editorial assessment
- Developmental editing
- Copy editing
- Proofreading
- Fact checking
Check Online
Like pretty much everything else these days, one of the easiest ways to find an editor is on the internet. There are several online tools available that allow editors to advertise their services to writers.
Many professional editors have their own websites, too. Simply enter terms like “book editor for hire” “editor near me”, or other similar queries and you’re bound to find a long list of options. Don’t choose the first editor that pops up; make sure you visit the websites of a few different editors.
Be Aware of Amateurs or Poorly-Suited Editors
There are a lot of amateur, poorly-suited, and inexperienced editors online. Unfortunately, it’s easy to get pulled in by one of these subpar professionals, as they can create beautiful, well-designed websites or descriptions, and can really pump-up their experience, making it seem as if they are the best of the best, when in reality, they’re anything but.
Get in Touch with Prospective Editors
Once you’ve made up a shortlist of editors that have caught your attention, get in touch with each one. A reputable editor will be more than happy to speak with you over the phone or better yet, meet with you in person. Be sure to ask some key questions about their experience, background, and credentials, such as:
- What type of texts have you edited?
- What’s your favorite genre to edit?
- What area of editing do you specialize in?
- What type of training have you had?
- How many years of experience do you have?
- What are the names of some of the titles you have edited?
You’ll also want to ask to see samples of the works that they have edited. Any reputable editor will be delighted to share a portfolio of their work.